


The Phantom Calling - Dragonwood

by Marrowfrost



Series: The Phantom Calling - Act 1 [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fantasy, Feelings, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Mystery Character(s), Original Fiction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, POV First Person, Relationship(s), Romance, Self-Esteem Issues, powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-09-25 23:51:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17131052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marrowfrost/pseuds/Marrowfrost
Summary: On an island far away, a school called Dragonwood Academy resides there. It claims that it's to help take care of the students with special abilities, but many of them doubt it. And many more doubt it when daily disappearances take place in this very school. Silverfire, a young fifteen year old with must make some unlikely allies if he is to put an end to the dubious foe behind it.This is all one big draft as this is Draft No. 2 and many, many more drafts will be written before I'm done with the first book.





	1. Prologue - SIlverfire POV

I walked onto the docks, waiting for the boat to come. My parents have enrolled me to one of the best schools out there for "gifted" children. Liars. They plan to imprison us because of our skills.

"Silverfire, calm down." I turned to see my brother Stargaze, who was holding onto his bag. "It's not like you're the only one going."

Stargaze is a short, dark skinned man with freckles and pale silver eyes. He's actually older than me, but he's very tiny for a twenty year old. I'm taller than all my siblings, despite being the youngest.

I glared at him. "But you had the choice to go or not; I didn't." Stargaze shook his head and sighed. He reached up and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Because I want to make sure you're okay, Silverfire." Stargaze whispered.

"T-Thank you." I mumbled. Looking around, I caught the glimpse of my older sister Hazel talking to our parents. She walked over to me and Stargaze with an unreadable expression on her face.

"I'm coming with you." She told us. Hazel was coming with us? That's great! She's nicer than Stargaze, in all honesty. "The ferry's going to arrive soon. Might as well grab our bags." Hazel picked up her bag containing her stuff, and then gestured for us to do the same.

Grabbing my backpack, me and my siblings walked closer to the docking area. Other students were gathered there, also going to the same school. Fools. They don't realize why they're being sent to this prison yet.

Suddenly the noise started to die down. Oh, good. They know how to shut up, at least. Most of the people there were people I've never seen before. Not like I was allowed around other humans.

"Ahem! May I please have your attention?" There was a man with blond hair and green eyes looking at all of us. Everyone gave him their attention. "My name's Mr. Connor. I'm the Headmaster of Dragonwood Academy. We're so glad you've chosen our school to help your little ones grow and learn." Yeah, right. I hate you already.

"...dirty liar…" A girl behind me muttered. At least she has the right idea.

The Headmaster kept talking. "The ferry will be arriving soon to escort the students to school. There they will meet their roommates and receive their schedules." Once he finished, a large boat sailed over to the docks. "Trust me when I say, your child will be a brand-new person by the end of our two year program." TWO years?! It's like they're sending us to boot camp!

The other students got aboard the boat, including me, Stargaze and Hazel.

"Alright now, we'll meet again in two years! Goodbye, everyone!" Mr. Connor shouted before the boat took off. I sighed to myself. Time for our imminent doom. I felt a hand touch my shoulder.

"Silverfire, don't act like that. We won't die." Hazel reassured me. She's not helping at all. In fact, she's making it worse.

Stargaze glanced at us. "That's right. We might as well meet some of the other students." He walked away to talk to some other people.

Hazel grabbed my hand. " _You're_  coming with me." She demanded. We went over to a corner, with Hazel dragging me everywhere she went. Suddenly I ran into something- no, someone. I nearly fell down, but I managed to stay up. Looking at the ground, I saw who I'd ran into.

The person I'd bumped into was a girl who looked a little older than me. She had black hair and amber eyes like a cat's. Her skin looked pale and there was a large blush across her face. The girl was on the floor, shivering in fear.

"I-I'm  _so_  sorry!" She wailed. I could tell without a doubt that she was genuinely sorry for it. "I should've been paying attention!"

I shook my head. "I-It's okay." I sighed. "I wasn't paying attention either." Looking around the ship's crowded deck, I couldn't find Hazel nor Stargaze in the crowd. "And now I don't know where my older siblings went, so now there's that."

"You're also lost…?" She murmured. I nodded. "I don't know where my sister Twyla went, either. C-Can I tag along with you?"

"Sure. Just stay by me." I told her. She smiled a little and then stood up next to me. Her amber eyes gleamed with relief.

"M-My name's Violet, by the way." She mentioned. Her name's Violet? That's a pretty name. And it describes her perfectly...ahem! N-Nevermind that.

I turned to face her and nodded. "My name is Silverfire. Nice to meet you too." Violet smiled at me. Does she like me or something? We walked over to the ship's Western rim, looking at the ocean water shimmering against the moon's pale glow. It's so beautiful... _no_. It's a trick.

"Hey, Vi!" We turned to see a girl with long brownish-green hair and light green eyes. Is she Twyla? "Who's your boyfriend?" She asked, confounded as to why I was with her. B-Boyfriend?! I hardly even know her! Violet seemed to have the same reaction.

"I was hanging with Silverfire until I was found. He's also lost." Violet corrected Twyla. Twyla glared directly at me, her light green eyes burning with hostility.

"I doubt your real name is Silverfire." Twyla hissed. She looked at Violet. "I can't believe you just went with the first man you bumped into!"  _Literally._  "Have you forgotten Aspen already?" Huh? Who's Aspen? Well, whoever he is he must've done something to harm Twyla and Violet.

Violet growled at Twyla. "Yes, and unlike you, I've moved on from that incident." Twyla glowered at me and Violet for a moment and then walked away. Violet turned to me, sorrow in her amber eyes. "I-I'm sorry, it's just...me and Twyla haven't gotten along ever since... _that man_  entered our lives."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I sympathetically murmured. She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "H-Hey, don't cry. It'll be alright." Wiping away her tears, Violet soon stopped sniveling.

"Thank you." She mumbled. Violet glanced around the deck. "I wonder where your siblings went."

I scratched my head. "I have no clue." Soon the boat came to a sudden stop, almost making me fall on top of Violet. Luckily that didn't happen.

"Alright students of Dragonwood Academy, we're here at last! You may  _calmly_  walk onto the school docks." Mr. Connor ordered from the top deck of the ferry. Ugh. I  _really_  dislike you. Everyone else got off as quick as they could, pushing and shoving everyone in their way.

As soon as I started walking, I felt someone grab onto my arm. I turned to see Violet latching onto me. "Could I stay with you until we find out our roommates for our dorms?" She whispered. Violet's not going to leave me alone yet, is she? Finally giving in, I nodded to affirm my answer.

Once we walked off the docks, I saw a hulking building with tons of windows. It had vines growing along the sides. The colouring of the building looked pitch-black when compared to the night sky. In Bright Scar's name, what on earth did I get myself into?


	2. Chapter 1 - Violet POV

"Come on, Violet." Silverfire's voice disrupted my thoughts, taking my attention away from the school building. "Let's go." I followed him over to the front of the crowd.

The voices of the people around me were hurting my head, but not as much as my thoughts! You see, like the others here, I'm not normal. I can read people's minds. It sounds great, but it sucks. I can't really control my powers that well, so I'm pretty much always surrounded by noise. The only people who know so far are Twyla, our little brother Daniel and our older sister Helen.

 _I can't believe I'm stuck here._  One voice growled.

Another voice whimpered.  _What if no one likes me?_

 _I wonder if Violet's in my dorm._  I realized that it was Silverfire's thoughts I'd heard at once. D-Does he want me in his dorm? Discreetly, I took a step closer to him to hear more.  _She seems nice enough, I guess._  He thinks I'm...nice? Usually people think I'm a wimp or annoying instead. Suddenly Silverfire stopped.

He put his arm in front of me. "Wait! I think I see who's giving out the schedules. Maybe our dorm numbers will be on it." Silverfire took me by the hand and pretty much dragged me over there. Once we got across a bunch of other students, we managed to get to the stand.

"Oh, hello! I'm Ms. Johnson." The teacher greeted us with a warm and welcoming smile. "Tell me your names so I can give you your schedules."

When I looked over to Silverfire, all I heard was, " _It's all a trick."_  He really thinks of this place like a prison, doesn't he?

"Spencer Rowe." He sighed. His real name is Spencer? I honestly think that's such a cute name for someone like him. Why's he so upset about it? Silverfire getured for me to do the same.

"V-Violet Haynes." I squeaked like a pathetic little mouse. Bright Scar knows why I'm such a coward. What's wrong with me? Ms. Johnson handed us our schedules. Me and Silverfire walked away from the crowd. Looking down at my schedule, I decided to see which classes they decided to put me in.

**VIOLET HAYNES, 12-16-XXXX**

**MRS. CRACKLE - MAGIC**

**MR. TUNDRA - ART**

**MS. JOHNSON - HISTORY**

**FIREBURNER - PHYSICAL EDUCATION**

**MR. BARTON - SCIENCE**

**MRS. QUINCY - BATTLE TRAINING**

**DORM 113**

Well that was a surprise. I wonder if Silverfire's in my dorm too...I like him. He's not a complete jerk, so I guess he's okay? I sure hope so.

"What dorm are you in?" Silverfire bluntly asked. Before telling him, I tried to look into his thoughts.  _Maybe she's in the same dorm as me…_

"I-I'm in 113." I stammered. He smiled a little.

"Really? That's also my dorm." Silverfire informed me. He didn't look that excited, though. Does he actually like me? Silverfire turned to look at where the other students were going. "I think we go over there."

We walked over to two other students who were arguing over something. Not knowing who they were, I looked into Silverfire's thoughts to see if he knew them.

 _And of course when I find Stargaze and Hazel, they're fighting over SOMETHING._  Silverfire's thoughts rang clearly in my head. Are Stargaze and Hazel his older siblings? Silverfire was muttering something to himself once the two of them took notice of us.

"Oh. Hi, Silverfire." The girl named Hazel (I guessed) greeted him. She glanced over in my direction, tilting her head. "Who's she?"

Silverfire sighed. Is he upset? "Me and Violet both were lost so we stuck together."

Hazel raised an eyebrow. "Guess I didn't notice your masterful escape, eh Silverfire?" Silverfire just glared at her, his silver gaze burning with intensity. She shrugged her shoulders. "But you talked to someone! Isn't that great?" He rolled his silver eyes.

 _Come on, at least pretend to look interested…_  Hazel internally willed her little brother, although it was in vain. There was no interesting Silverfire in anything at this point. He didn't even bother to look at Hazel now. Stargaze seemed to notice this, and light nudged Hazel's elbow.

"Hey, at least he managed to talk to a girl without any advice!" Stargaze awkwardly chuckled. "That's worth celebrating, right?" There was a light tease in his voice, as if he was trying to aggravate Silverfire a little bit. I don't think that's a good idea. Hazel's eyes widened in fear, which I guessed which was of Silverfire. Hasn't he ever talked with anyone outside of family? I guess I'm the first person he's talked to then…that doesn't make me feel any better, actually.

Silverfire hissed at his brother. "No, it's  _not_. What's wrong with you both, thinking that I'll be able to survive this prison full of idiots?" Inwardly flinching, I resisted the urge to just run away at that moment. Does he actually think of me as an idiot? Because I wholeheartedly agree with him on that matter. He cast a sideways glance at me. "She's  _okay_  at best." A small sigh of relief almost escaped from my chest. He's alright with me. That's…strangely relieving. But I shouldn't be relieved. I hardly know him.

Hazel just sighed and shook her head. "At least you made an acquaintance." She muttered.

Stargaze seemed unfazed by Silverfire's sudden outburst. "So what dorm are you in? Me and Hazel are in 105." Aw, poor Silverfire. He won't get to be in the same dorm as Hazel and Stargaze. I mean, it looks like he doesn't like them, but at least he'd be better off with them instead of me. I'm just a nobody. That's all I am.

"I'm in 113 with Violet." Silverfire responded, an edge to his voice. Is he alright? "Do you know who you're with?" They both shook their heads. That makes me wonder…who else is in me and Silverfire's dorm room? "Well, see ya later. We've gotta go to our dorm and unpack, maybe meet our other roommates. Hope I see you in class."  _Not._  Was his instant reply in his head. He really doesn't like anybody, does he? He walked away from them and headed towards the cluster nearby a somewhat smaller building next to the school. I waved bye to them and followed Silverfire over there. I don't get it. If I don't even know him, why am I following him around so much? It's weird. Once I caught up with him, he immediately tensed up.

 _W-What if I snap?_  He panicked to himself. I could see actual sweat dripping down his forehead. This must be really serious. Should I be peeking in here so much? It's so wrong. But at the same time, it feels so right. And his voice is really attractive, even in his head.  _What if I accidentally kill someone? What if I accidentally hurt Violet? Wait, I why am I worrying about her? I don't even know her! But still…_  He's…worried about me? But why? I'm not worth worrying about, really. And how could he of all people be able to kill someone? He might be able to poison someone, sure- but he doesn't look all that macho, if you get what I mean. Silverfire honestly looks like that one extremely handsome jerk who somehow manages to get along with everybody and get away with anything.

To be fair, I have reason to believe this. Both me and Twyla, actually. My twin sister's ex-boyfriend was hot. Bright Scar, are you happy?! I said it. He's hot. But he was an abusive and conceited- I'm not going to say the whole thing, but he was really bad. Heck, he beat up both me and my sister. Later my little brother as well once he was found out by him. What kind of beating? Um, let's see. Physical, mental and emotional beatings. With me, there was a fourth but we don't wanna go there. You can figure it out for yourself. Anyways, Twyla dumped him and our family was a wreck ever since. Why I'm mentioning all of this? Silverfire's really handsome, can you blame me? He has messy dark auburn hair with silver eyes, dark tan skin with freckles and a black spot on his right cheek. Of course I'd think that. Twyla dislikes him, but she's hated men since the whole 'Aspen Incident', so can you really blame her?

"Hey Violet, you still alive?" Silverfire voice broke into my thoughts. There was a glint of genuine concern in his eyes, although it looked like he was trying hide it. Is he still unsure how to feel about me? "Earth to Violet. Are you feeling alright?" I nodded weakly, feeling faint. This is the most draining experience of my social life so far. Silverfire narrowed his eyes, doubt flashing through them but he didn't press further. "Let's keep going." We walked on in the dormitory, ready to find our room and all that jazz. Compared to the outside, the inside looked quite nice. The outside and the school is hands down TERRIFYING. I almost wet myself. Okay, I should rephrase that. I wet myself a little. I know, I know. I'm pathetic. Just noticing Silverfire was gone, I went into a silent panic. What happened? Did he leave me? Oh Bright Scar, I'm going to throw up… Soon he came back holding a key in his hands.

 _Is Violet alright? She looks paler than she usually does. Is she that attached to me already…?_  He thought, unaware that I could hear him. Answers to your questions: I'm not okay, plus this is my normal skin colour, get it straight. Unfortunately, yes I am. In some way or another.  _Am I feeling attached to her? I mean, she's okay but…why can't I seem to keep away from her? She should be figuring this out for herself._  I've never heard something more true. He walked up to me, grumbling to himself about…well, something. After some more following Silverfire around the place, we finally found our room: 113. Once we took a step in, I realized two people were in it already. Are they our roommates?

There was a tall woman with tan skin and deep black silky hair. Her eyes were a piercing dark green that glimmered in despair. The man who was laying on the floor stuffing his face looked older than both me and Silverfire, but from what I could tell, the woman is older than him. He had light brown hair that on the right side formed a little spike, which in all honesty, is very cute. The guy also had green eyes and a lot, a LOT of freckles underneath them.

 _Dang, that guy who just came in is cute…_  I soon realized that this was the woman.  _But whatever. I'm not staying here long, so I'm not going to pursue him anyways. He doesn't even look the type to socialize either._  Yeah, I'll have to agree with that. Silverfire can be very reclusive, and that's coming from me, the princess of reclusiveness. A prick of anger sparked in my chest. Why'd she have to say Silverfire's cute? Well, I mean he IS, but…why am I angry about this? This is confusing and stressing…

"Oh. I guess you're our roommates." The man greeted us. Silverfire huffed and rolled his eyes, now walking over to a small desk at the opposite end of the small room. "I guess I'll introduce myself." He sighed. "I'm Tristan, and that bastard is-"

"Shut it, Tristan. Before I have you beheaded." She interrupted, her voice a hiss. She turned towards us, her eyes sparkling with annoyance and rage. "I'm Princess Holly, daughter of King Brokenfire. Unpleased to make your acquaintance." She snapped. "I hate you all already. Especially you, Tristan." Tristan just shrugged his shoulders and flipped her his middle finger. Well then, this looks enjoyable.

 _Who am I kidding? I actually like Tristan. And I don't hate my roommates. I just wish I wasn't the daughter of a tyrant…_  Holly sighed to herself.  _As long as I act like this, they won't want to be my friend. Then they won't have to put up with my royal blood._  Is it wrong that I want to be her friend? She seems really lonely, like me…no. I'd doubt she'd accept my help.

"Don't listen to her. She's in one of her moods." Tristan grumbled loud enough so Holly could hear. She hissed at him before sitting down on the chair behind her. "Do you have names? Either way, I don't really care…"

"I'll put it in stupid people terms for you: Me Silverfire, her Violet. Capisce?" Silverfire growled. Tristan rolled his green eyes and nodded weakly. "Good. Now leave me alone, I'm not in the mood for anyone's stupidity." He plopped down in the seat in the nearest desk and glared at everyone. I'm trying really hard to understand him, but he makes it really difficult.

 _I don't even like these people all that much. Sure, Violet's okay but what if she finds out? What if anyone finds out about my curse? I can't stay here._  Silverfire hissed to himself.  _I've gotta-_  The thought abruptly ended as soon as I noticed him watching me.

"What're you looking at me for?" Silverfire snarled, as if I'm his enemy. I winced, stepping back a little. "What do you- Wait."

"W-What is it?" I whimpered. Silverfire's silver eyes glittered in pure rage. Why's he so upset? Did I do something wrong? Wait, did he…? Oh Bright Scar, please no. Silverfire glowered me some more before speaking.

"You're a mind reader, aren't you Violet?!" He snapped.


	3. Chapter 2 - Holly POV

"Well?" Silverfire hissed, his silver eyes gleaming in a wild rage. Has he gone mad? "Answer me!" I can't believe this idiot, just acting like he can start yelling at whoever gets on his nerves or offends him. And Violet being a mind-reader? Pfft, as if. Only people directly exposed to the effects of the Blood Moon can receive those kinds of powers, and a Blood Moon rarely ever happens. It has only happened about two or three times our entire history, so how could Violet be one? Violet shrunk back in fear. Her eyes were widened and in shock, her body shaking uncontrollably at this point.

"I-I'm-" Violet stuttered as softly as she could. Silverfire didn't seem to hear her and continued glaring at her, his silver eyes locked in a deep state of anger. This needs to stop, and if Tristan won't do it, then  _I_  will.

Smacking him in the face, I glowered him. "Knock it off, you idiot!" I snapped at the silver-eyed teen, resisting the urge to smack him again. "So what if Violet's a mind reader? Does it matter in the long run? NO! So why don't you shut up and keep quiet?!" Silverfire's fists were shaking now, as if he was fighting the urge to strike me. Hit me. I  _dare_  you to. I'll just hit back with twice the power, and so forth.

He hissed at me. "Yet!" Silverfire snarled. Was this guy dropped as a child, or is he just naturally this stupid? Either way, this COULD'VE been avoided if Violet had kept her prying eyes away from Silverfire. How could she have not realized that he'd snap at her for it? Silverfire's gaze flickered back to Violet, who was looking growing more worried and concerned by every heartbeat. " _Answer me_." He seethed.

"S-Silverfire, please. Just calm d-down so I can tell you." Violet whimpered, her once warm amber eyes now full of guilt, shame and fear. A small teardrop slid down her cheek, falling to the floor. Aw, I'm almost starting to feel sorry for her.  _Almost_. "P-Please, you're scaring me…" A flash of shame glimmered in Silverfire's eyes, but was quickly replaced by the burning fuel of hatred. Am I just imagining it, or did Silverfire actually look upset about it? No, he can't be. Otherwise he wouldn't've hurt Violet like that. Tristan glanced at Silverfire, his green eyes gleaming with irritation.

"Shut up, bastard. Violet did nothing to you and you know it." Tristan butted in, now getting up from the couch he hadn't moved from since he'd stepped foot in the dorm room. "If anything, she's probably the only person here that can actually stand your sick behavior, I'll tell you that much. If murder wasn't prohibited, I'd definitely kill you first. Holly being second." Really dude? Do you hate me  _that_  much? Silverfire just glowered us some more before walking out the door. Right before he'd leave us in peace, he uttered one more thing.

"If I'm really so infuriating, then I'll get rid of myself for you." Silverfire snapped before stomping out of the room in a fit. Thank Bright Scar he's gone. He annoyed the heck out of me. Tristan flipped him the bird and walked back to the couch. Violet was on the floor, crying to herself.

Violet murmured, "I didn't mean to upset you, Silverfire…" Oh please, like she should be the one feeling sorry for herself. It SHOULD be Silverfire, if anything. She shook her head weakly, her tears falling onto the floor. Tristan didn't even bother to even comfort her- he was already asleep on the couch. And I thought I was bad… I walked over to her, despite the annoyance pricking at my chest. Violet looked up at me, her eyes stained with tears. "P-Please, leave me be…"

"Violet, listen to me. Silverfire is an idiot, so stop sniveling about it. You shouldn't even care." I grumbled, clearly not interested in her sob stories. Look, he's the one who lost his temper with her. Silverfire doesn't deserve her pity. Violet just shut her eyes, her tears falling down to the floor. "What even is it that upsets you so much? He's a jerk who doesn't deserve your pity."

She shook her head, shaking wildly. "H-He isn't, Holly." She sighed. Is she in denial? I swear to Bright Scar, is she  _this_  hung up about Silverfire? Jeez, some people can be so stupid… "S-Silverfire was right. I  _am_  a mind reader." No. She can't be telling the truth. Silverfire is being stupid, that's all.

"You're lying." I spat through gritted teeth. "Get over Silverfire. Stop living in denial, idiot." But it seemed so real when she said it…no. She's lying to you. Stop believing in her. You can't trust anyone. They'll kill you once they find out about you. Violet flinched at my comment. Is she really that upset?

"Please Holly. You  _have_  to believe me." Violet whimpered, her eyes on the verge of tears. As sorry as you may be, I don't believe a single bit of your sob story. There's no way you're a mind reader. Otherwise you'd hate me. And you'd already want to kill me. Because of my roots. Where I'm from. Who I am. "B-But Holly…why would you say that?" What? She…actually heard that? "I-I'm sorry, I can't control it…but your thoughts are kinda interesting, if I'm being honest. W-Why would anyone want to kill you? You aren't that bad, despite what Tristan seems to believe." Of course I'm bad. I'm the cause of my kingdom's problems. People  _died_  because of me. How can she say that I'm not bad? And how can anyone not want to kill me? I'm not normal. I'm not even entirely human. I shouldn't even exist.

* * *

_Walking into the large hallways, my heart skipped a few beats as I hid behind the pillar leaving me out of sight from the throne room. Well, at least from the throne itself. It's past my bedtime. The advisors are talking to the King right now. If I misplace one step or make a sound lighter than the soft whisper of a summer breeze- I'm dead._

" _K-King Brokenfire, I'm not so sure if-" An advisor began, his voice uneven. I don't blame him. Brokenfire isn't exactly the kind of King to listen to his advisors. He doesn't even listen to me, and I'm his DAUGHTER that he loves OH SO MUCH._

" _NOT SURE IF WHAT?!" King Brokenfire bellowed, the strain and anger in his tone becoming more apparent as he went on. My heart leaped a couple more beats. If he finds me, I'm so dead. Covering my hand over my mouth, I slightly poked my head out of the way to get a better look. My dad was too busy glaring at the servants to notice me there. Thank Bright Scar. Clenching his fists, he punched a nearby wall, busting a semi-large whole in it. "SPEAK, YOU PATHETIC WORM!"_

_The advisor spoke up once more, fear lighting up in his brown eyes. "I-If Princess Holly is comfortable here, your Majesty." SMACK. He was slapped across the room by Brokenfire, landing on some rather expensive artifacts. A prick of guilt poked my heart. He doesn't deserve this. None of these people do. And it's my fault for being here, not doing anything to help. I could've prevented that. I should've. But if I'd gone to help, then I would've been killed by own father. But isn't that selfish of me, favoring my own life over someone else's? It probably is._

" _My daughter is FINE! Princess Holly is lucky she's here with me, and not with her peasant mother!" snapped Brokenfire, his black eyes highlighting with pure rage. "She has the great magical abilities of my race! There's no place for her with Sarah!" Maybe I want my mother instead. But that's also selfish. I should be grateful with what I have, right? Right? Brokenfire turned to Tsubasa, the youngest of his advisors. "You're young. Tell me, what should we do about her powers at this rate? She's turning twenty-three soon, and she still doesn't know how to use them."_

_Tsubasa gulped. "T-There is a newly opening school called Dragonwood Academy. Maybe that could help?"_

* * *

"H-Holly, please stop thinking like that," Violet sighed, breaking my train of thought. Snapping back to reality, I stared into Violet's amber eyes, detecting a small glimmer of guilt shining in her eyes. Is she okay? Does she really rate me that much as to try to make feel like I'm a good person? I'm not; she needs to stop saying I'm not bad. I  _am_  bad. "It really hurts to hear it all, Holly. Please…you aren't bad." If she thinks I'm not bad, then…fine. I'll at least fake I have amazing self-esteem in the meanwhile, if that's enough to get Violet off my back.

I sighed, looking down at the floor. "Fine. But don't try to convince me otherwise. I am a disgusting abomination and deserve to be treated as such. Like… _him_." Violet narrowed her eyes at me, as if she was trying to melt me with her vision. Stop, please. You're creeping me out. The mind reader visibly flinched, almost on the verge of tears again. "I didn't mean it," I lied, trying not to make a scene. "Anyways, would you like some help dealing with Silverfire? I know quite a few spells to keep him at bay-"

"No, Holly. Please don't. Whether you like it or not, I have a right to care about him." Violet snapped, sounding as if she wasn't crying or frightened a few seconds ago. What was that? That was like Violet wasn't speaking at all, or something like that. She's full of mysteries, for one. "S-Sorry, I don't know what got into me…" Me either.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Well, at any rate we should head downstairs to the lobby. Maybe there's  _something_  worth doing down there." Violet sighed, already exhausted with…well, whatever she's exhausted with. Hey, I'm not invading her personal life that much. Well, I can only invade as much as she tells me. Which probably isn't a lot. The both of us got up and began walking towards the door. Before leaving, I turned to Tristan, who was still munching on his potato chips. "Hey couch potato, you wanna come join us?"

Tristan heaved himself up and off of the couch. "Whatever, I don't care. I'm just going to see if they have anymore potato chips or popcorn. I'm in a snacking mood, and I know neither of you are going to get me anything." Ah, so true. It's rare to hear Tristan speaking such strong truths. He walked over to me and Violet, still carrying his snack. Before he threw it in the trash can, he glanced at Violet, his gaze fixated on her. Ew. "Hmm. Nice."

"Sicko." Violet spat. Woah, what happened to the jumpy and nervous Violet we knew? She's acting like me, but not as harsh. I've never called Tristan that- wait, maybe I did on that ferry ride. We were standing next to each other and Tristan thought it was a wonderful idea to flirt with me just for the sake of seeing how irate he can get me. Needless to say, it did not end well. Tristan shrugged his shoulders and placed his empty bag of chips on the rim of the trash can. HOW CAN YOU NOT PLACE IT INSIDE THE TRASH CAN, YOU IDIOT?! Bright Scar that annoys me to no end. Ugh. "It's okay Holly. You can force him to put it in there properly if you'd like." Oh, I like the sound of that! But there's more important stuff to be worrying about. "That was sarcasm, Holly." She sighed. Oh really? That was sarcasm? Pathetic. I can do much better than that!

I snorted. "You have a  _lot_  to learn." She rolled her amber eyes, amusement sparkling in them.

"Good thing I have such a great mentor!" joked Violet, chuckling a little as she said it. I think this is the first time I've heard her laugh. Or smile, for that matter. It's really adorable, actually. I just wish she would smile more. That'd be better than Silverfire and Tristan, thank you very much. Tristan just sighed to himself, holding back the laughter in his voice. Oh come on. Is it really that bad to laugh with us? Violet suddenly hugged me, her arms wrapping around my shoulders. "Thanks for talking to me, Holly. It really helped." I…helped? But how? It's probably just some spur of the moment thing. That's not what she actually thinks. Right? I must be.

"Why're we still here? Let's go, if you two are done being all sappy with each other." Tristan grumbled, stretching a little. He walked past me and began heading down the stairs, obviously not wanting to wait for us. With a sigh, me and Violet followed him. I don't want to lose him, he could do something very stupid to get himself hurt in that crowd downstairs! Wait, I shouldn't be worried about him. I really shouldn't, and yet…I do. What's wrong with me? And why am I worrying about Tristan, of all people? He isn't exactly the person you'd want to care about in my opinion. I caught a sly grin from Violet, her amber eyes highlighting with amusement. Knock it off, Violet. After walking down the staircase and attempting to keep up with Tristan, we'd made it to the lobby.

Violet winced, bringing her hand up to her forehead. "O-Ow, there's a lot more people than I expected…" I wish I could help her, but it's not like I can help, right? "You can help by thinking like Tristan!" she snapped. What? "Don't think at all."

"Poor Tristan, he's going to end up being the butt of our jokes if he's not careful." I snickered while staring in Tristan's direction. He was talking with a rather short woman at the reception desk. She had short, curly auburn hair and green eyes the same hue as Tristan's. Is it possible they're related somehow? It looks like they are. And it also looks like they're arguing too.

"But Mom!" Tristan wailed. Mom? Now how is his  _mother_  working here, hmm? Suspicious, if you ask me. "Can't you just change my dorm?" Oh, so  _that's_  how it is, is it? Jerk. And here I thought you had some decency. But why should care about what he thinks about us? About me? I don't even know him all that well, yet here I am about to start bawling like a newborn babe. I'm such an idiot for liking Tristan in any way, shape or form. Ugh.

His mother shook her head. "No, Tristan. You need to get a life and make some friends. You're  _nineteen_ , an adult might I add, and you still persist on staying with me instead of getting out there." Oh, so he's a mama's boy? Bright Scar, some people… "And for Bright Scar's sake, stop calling me 'Mom'! You're supposed to call me Mrs. Leighton, remember?"

Tristan crossed his arms, his face beginning to turn red. "Fine! But only because you said so,  _Mom_." He stomped off from her, in the direction of where me and Violet were standing. Jeez, doesn't this guy know any respect? Violet shared a sideways glance with me. She snickered.

"And you kept saying you liked Tristan." Violet snickered, covering her mouth with her hand. I rolled my eyes as my face went hot.

I grumbled to myself. "...Just shut up." As much as she may have heard, I don't like him! Nope! Not anymore! Violet slyly raised an eyebrow. "Stop that!" Tristan was soon right in front of us, sighing to himself. Oh Bright Scar, please don't tell me he heard our discussion! Violet giggled, most likely ready to whip another smart remark about me and Tristan. "Violet, don't you dare-"

"Holly likes you, Tristan!" Violet squealed, pushing me closer to him. Oh Bright Scar, this is exactly what happens when a mind-reader is around you, isn't it? "Oh,  _definitely_. Guess what I heard in your mind about Silverfire?" NO! I DID NOT, I REPEAT, DID NOT EVER THINK SILVERFIRE WAS CUTE AND/OR HANDSOME! "Wow. Now you're repeating yourself, which is adorable." She teased. Ugh.

Tristan glanced at the floor. "Erm, I doubt that. She smacked me a couple of times on the ferry ride, so I doubt it. And I'll never forget when she kicked me in my-"

"Yes, yes, we get where you're going with this. Needless to say, I don't like him at all." I snapped, crossing my arms. Looking back at Violet, I flicked her hands off my shoulders. "Is there anyone you wanted to talk to, Violet?  _Silverfire_ , perhaps?" Tristan chuckled a little, probably at my barbed remark towards Violet. She glared at me, her amber eyes glittering with irritation. Oh, this should be hilarious.

Violet growled underneath her breath. "No. I want to talk with my twin sister, Twyla. I'm worried about her. She's really vicious to others, and I don't want her to be hated among her dorm already." O-Oh. Twyla definitely doesn't sound like the kind of person you'd want to be around, does she? "And Tristan, if you're coming with us, then  _please_  don't ogle her. Your body will never be found."

"Wait, why would you suggest that? I would never!" Tristan protested weakly, his face a bright red. He's an idiot if he can't realize that, even more so if he knows that it's true. "Yeah, you're right. I probably would. You'll look for my body and bury it, right?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Depends." Yes, yes I would so badly. No one deserves that, even if they're…themselves. Glancing back at Violet, I studied her expression. It looked like she was scanning the room for Twyla, but I hope not. She doesn't sound like a very nice person. Violet shot some daggers at me, but eventually began walking away from us, her fists clenched. "Violet, wait!" She turned back at me, her amber eyes glittering with pure anger. O-Okay, I'm not going to bother her anymore. Me and Tristan walked up to her, while she just stood there glaring at me. "I'm sorry, Violet.  _Please_."

"Fine. But don't  _ever_  call my sister that again." she hissed, her fists shaking wildly. I-I… Violet grumbled something else underneath her breath and gestured for us to follow. "Come on. Twyla's right there." Will Twyla be okay with Tristan being around us? Casting one last glance at the lazy slob, I shook my head. She's going to kill him.


	4. Chapter 3 - Tristan POV

Violet tapped on Twyla's shoulder, her body trembling greatly. Is she that scared of her sister? Or is she just afraid for me? I doubt it, no one has really been afraid for my safety, so what does it matter? "E-Erm, Twyla?" She murmured softly. Oh, come on! If you're going to talk to someone, at least talk in a voice loud enough that they can hear you in! Twyla turned towards us, the joy in her eyes dying as soon as she saw me.

"Who's  _this_?" sneered Twyla, her voice barely a hiss. Her huge jade-green colored wings were like a bat's and spread out from her back; they almost smacked Holly in the face, which would've been enjoyable to watch in all honesty. Twyla's tail was also lashing in anger, with it also being a jade-green coloring as well. "Not  _another_  guy after you! When will you learn to stop talking with those vile creations?!" Suppressing my fist from striking her where she stood, I simply glared at her through narrowed eyes.

Holly growled at her. "Oh, Bright Scar. She's worse than I expected. I'll take Silverfire over her anyday of the week, please and thank you!" You didn't need to butt in, Holly…this isn't our problem to handle. It's Violet and Twyla's, unless we somehow get dragged into it. Which we will now since you spoke up.  _GREAT_.

Violet glowered at her, but didn't retort at her insult. "Tristan's fine, Twyla. He wouldn't bother doing anything to anyone, I swear on my life." Well that's just- I really can't say anything back to that, can I? She's legit saving my hide and speaking the truth. Twyla rolled her eyes in contempt, flicking her tail dismissively.

"He'll do the same to you just like Aspen did! And so will that other guy you were hanging around! Can't you see that they're all the same? All pigheaded, arrogant, and foolish? Are you really making yourself into a slave for them?" snarled Twyla, baring her teeth. What? A slave? How could she even  _consider_  her own sister to be a slave, mentally or physically? She's just plain horrible and awful, that's what. Violet looked down at her feet, a teardrop falling to the ground. Twyla's light green eyes shimmered with pure guilt. "V-Vivi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Oh,  _sure_. You didn't mean anything, calling your sister a slave like that." I snapped, now taking a few steps closer to Twyla. She shrunk back in terror. "You're a horrible sister, you know that? Just because you're angry over something in the past it doesn't mean you can just take out your anger on others! Violet's been through enough and with you always trying to control her every action, you're just making it worse. Stop blaming others who had nothing to do with your problems. None of the men here even  _know_  about this Aspen dude, but apparently we're all monsters like him because of one mishap! Cut the crap, Twyla. You're in the wrong and you know it." Holly raised an eyebrow at me with a completely shocked facial reaction, while Violet began to sob even harder. Oh Bright Scar, what have I done? Was this really worth it?

Twyla's shocked expression immediately changed to a one full pure  _rage_. "SHUT UP! You're just upset because I called you out! You're just like all other men- cruel, selfish, and vain! I hate you! I hate you, Trist-" Suddenly Twyla grimaced in pain, bringing her hand up to her forehead, rubbing it roughly. Holly let out a small sigh of relief from behind me. Just why is she relieved? "Owie…w-what was that-" Almost as soon as she looked at me, an amorous gleam flashed in her eyes. Her frown quickly flipped to a dreamy smile as she gazed into my eyes. "W-Wow…you're  _so_  handsome, Tristan~!" She squealed. What?! Just a minute ago she would've had my guts for garters, and now she's cooing over me like a dove? Although I'm happy to be called 'handsome' by someone other than my mother for once, this really strange. So what exactly could've-  _Holly_. She probably knows, doesn't she? She's the one who sighed in relief once Twyla began rubbing her head. Twyla immediately wrapped her wings around me, purring helplessly. "I can't believe I hadn't noticed you until now." She cooed dreamily.

Whipping my head to face Holly, I glared at her. "What happened to her?" I hissed, trying to inch away from Twyla. Holly rolled her eyes leaned in closer to me. "Whisper it so she doesn't hear, I'm suspicious of her still."

"I put a love spell on her." Holly flatly replied, her dark green eyes dull and full of no emotion. She WHAT?! That's so, so,  _so_  wrong to do! She shrugged her shoulders. "She was going to rip you apart, Tristan. I had to step in somehow. Isn't this better than having her tear you into shreds?"

"Yes, but-" My response was cut short once I felt Twyla's lips pressing against mine. Oh Bright Scar no! I d-don't want this at all! Well…maybe I do. Maybe I  _do_  want love, but not  _this_  kind…it's not love if she has a spell cast on her to love me until death do us part. Twyla forced her lips upon mine even harder and more passionately, letting out a long, deep moan. Please no. No. No. No. No. She fluttered her eyelashes in a lovesick matter as she pulled back from me, a moonstruck grin on her face. Stop, please! Holly! Stop her from making out with me! Holly just snickered a little bit and then glanced at Violet, who was watching me and Twyla with confusion glinting in her eyes. I really don't blame you, Violet. I'm just as confused, if not more.

Twyla then tightly squeezed me, nuzzling my cheeks. "You're such a good kisser, Tristan," She murmured gently. "And you're so sweet." Can someone get her to stop? Please? Can't Holly just take the spell off of her? Twyla giggled a little, her eyes lighting up with joy. "I wish I could be with you forever, my sweetheart~" STOP! Violet chuckled a little bit after that, now walking up to me and Twyla.

"You know, Tristan…you can make yourself useful and go find Silverfire for me." Violet whispered, her eyes sick with worry. Why's she so worried? And why does she want to see  _him_? Wasn't Silverfire trying to force Violet to tell him her secret when she clearly didn't want to? "Shut up, Tristan. You weren't paying attention, per the norm." Twyla glowered Violet, her eyes glinting with anger.

She wrapped her wings fully around my back and rested her head on my shoulders, a defiant expression on her face. "Tristan's a great listener! He always listens to me! Right Tristan?" Feeling faint, I nodded. Why'd Holly have to cast that spell on her? Why? It isn't right at all, and now Twyla's doing something out of her control! Twyla squealed joyfully. "See? He's an amazing listener~" Her praise soon dwindled into a purr as she rubbed her cheeks against my neck. Why did Holly have to cast a love spell, anyways? Couldn't it have just been a spell to calm her down or…something like that?

Violet rolled her eyes. "Mhmm. Whatever, I wasn't talking to you Twyla. Tristan, can you go find him for me? You can take your lover with you if you want." LOVER?! No way is she my lover! Twyla giggled at the word 'lover', pecking me on the cheeks as well. Bright Scar, could this get any worse? "It will if you don't get going!"

"Jeez, Violet…are you okay? You've been really cranky since Silverfire left and- oh. Oh.  _OOHH_." Holly growled softly, only for her gaze to widen in shock. She grinned smugly. "You like Silver-"

"Shut up!" She snapped, tugging on Holly's shirt collar. Holly snickered, while Violet just sighed and let go of her. "I don't know  _how_  I'm putting up with you. Anyways Tristan, I think Silverfire went outside of the dormitory so he might be out there…" I don't get a choice, do I? "No you don't. Now go with Twyla and find him for me, okay?"  _Fine_. Twyla sighed dreamily, murmuring something underneath her breath. Why does she have to come too? She's annoying me! Rather reluctantly, I stomped out the doors to the front school grounds, growling to myself. Why does Violet have to be so demanding at times? Wasn't she that sweet, shy, and beautiful woman a few minutes ago? It's probably Holly who pissed her off, at any rate. And now she's pushing her anger on me, so that's just  _great_. Now I've gotta deal with this nuisance in the meanwhile? Ugh, give me a break.

I preferred it when it was just me and my mother on this island. Not my brother Luke, though. He's a moron and doesn't deserve to be in our lives. Maple, Luke and I were living peacefully on this island, when we suddenly got the choice of being kicked off of it or working here. Since Maple didn't want me to come to too much harm, wanted me to make friends, and learn how to use my strange powers, she decided that I should enroll. Luke didn't want to enroll, but mom insisted that he should so me and him could try to "bond". Why though, is beyond me.

Twyla stretched her wings, yawning a bit. "Where do you think we'll find Silverfire anyways? I personally don't want to find him, he's annoying and rude! He was messing with my sister, for Bright Scar's sake, how could Violet be so blind to the truth? I bet Violet's just looking to get la-"

"T-Twyla, let's just focus on finding Silverfire for now, okay?" I stuttered, scratching my head. Twyla sighed, rubbing her cheeks against my arm. At least she won't argue any further. Well, I hope. Her wings brushed up against my back, almost making me yelp in shock. Her tail was swishing back and forth as we kept searching for Silverfire. I sighed, yawning a little as well. "I hope we can find Silverfire soon. I don't wanna get in trouble because of his stupidity…" Twyla snickered a little bit.

Loosening her grip on my arm, Twyla smiled. "I bet he  _is_  pretty stupid, considering the way you talk about him!" She laughed. Why does her laugh have to be so pretty? Especially since I've never heard her laugh before, this is just stupid. I  _can't_  fall for her. She's under a spell. She'd never actually love me. Twyla tilted her head in confusion. "Huh? What's wrong?"

Shaking my head, I mumbled, "Nothing, I'm just tired. Let's keep looking, alright?" Truth be told, something  _is_  wrong. And I  _know_  what that something is. Twyla. Me. Spell. That's all that needs to be said. But I can't tell her, otherwise she'd kill me. Or she wouldn't believe me at all. Why'd Holly have to put that spell on her? Why? Poor Twyla. The only thing she's seeing about me is the wool pulled over her eyes, that giant lie about loving me. What's even worth loving about me? Nothing, that's what. Twyla didn't say anything else, she only let out a tiny yawn in response. I don't blame her. I'm pretty beat as well. "Hopefully we can find Silverfire soon."

"Can you guys just shut up?" A voice hissed. Wait…I recognize that voice…isn't that Silverfire? Turning to my left, I caught sight of Silverfire, who was glaring at us through narrowed eyes. Twyla tensed up beside me, her light green eyes glinting with nervousness. I don't blame you, Twyla. He's scary when he wants to be. Silverfire raised an eyebrow. "What?" He snapped.

I gulped. This wasn't going to be a pleasant experience for either of us. "E-Erm, Silverfire? Violet wanted to see you." I mumbled. Silverfire tilted his head in confusion. Right. I probably should've said that louder. Twyla was already latching onto my arm, meaning that Silverfire was probably losing patience with me, or she's  _that_  scared of him. Here's to hoping that Twyla's scared of him, because honestly, I don't know what Silverfire's power is and I don't intend on finding out. "Violet wanted to talk to you, Silverfire. She asked us to come get you."

Tears began welling up in his eyes. "Then why would she send you in her place? I guess she doesn't want to see me at all after  _that_ …" He murmured softly, staring at his feet. "No one would, wouldn't they?" No, they wouldn't. Holding the sharp retort back, I sighed. He doesn't seem to get the fact that Violet  _does_  want to see him. Why's he making such a big deal out of it? He  _should_  be happy that I even passed the news onto him! But I guess no one really cares about that.

"Look," I began, starting to lose my patience with him. "I just told you. Violet  _wants_  to see you. I sure as heck wouldn't want to, but you should be grateful she's even giving you a chance." Silverfire only walked past me and Twyla, his head low and shoulders sagging. He should be sorry for what he did. Jerk. It was only then that I realized that Silverfire's clothes had tears in them. Tears that weren't there before. They weren't too big, however, as I had just noticed them. You could see his skin, which was beaten, scratched, and bruised. Were those there before? Or did he do that himself…? No. I shouldn't be thinking like that. He was headed towards the Dormitory, thank Bright Scar for that. Glancing back at Twyla, I sighed. We should head back and check on them. Hopefully Silverfire won't go crazy like that again…

Twyla nuzzled my shoulder and mumbed, "Are we going to follow him?" Should we though? It's kinda rude to interrupt their conversation, though. Before I could respond, she bolted to the doors of the Dormitory. "Race you there!" She exclaimed, her tail lashing as she ran towards the doors.  _Great_. I've got to follow her and  _run_.

"Wait for me!" I shouted, now chasing Twyla. Just how can someone with so much hatred and passion within themselves be so carefree? It baffles me, it really does.


	5. Chapter 4 - Silverfire POV

Violet couldn’t want to talk to me. She wouldn’t. Why does she even care at all? I  _ hurt _ her. She shouldn’t want to talk to someone like me. I bet Tristan was just messing with me. He seems like the type to do that. Sighing to myself, I shook my head. At least it seems like she wants to talk to me. I hope she does. Opening the doors, I headed inside to look for Violet. She’s still with Holly in that case? Tristan was looking for me, along with… _ Twyla _ . Why was Twyla acting all lovesick around Tristan anyways? I sure wouldn’t want to hang around  _ him _ for one, and she’s stated how ‘horrible’ and ‘evil’ men are too many times to count. I must’ve missed something then. Maybe Twyla’s gotten over it already, or Tristan is just  _ that _ good with women. I’m probably just making wild guesses here, aren’t I?

 

Heading into the crowd of people, I squeezed my way through to reach Violet. She’s gotta be  _ somewhere _ in the crowd. Right? Is she still with Holly? I hope not. Because believe it or not, she  _ scared _ me when she snapped at me. I don’t know why though. I wasn’t scared of her before, and I’ve never been scared when Stargaze snaps at me for doing something stupid. I’ve never been scared when anyone snaps at me. So why am I suddenly so scared of Holly? Bright Scar, it’s stupid. A sharp, spiking aura forced my senses to start tingling. What was it this time? Some random idiot throwing a temper tantrum like a two year old? Some teacher worried about all hell breaking loose? If so, then they should be very worried. Sending me here was a mistake.

 

A-Although…I never would’ve gotten to meet Violet if that was the case. Violet’s the first person I’ve ever talked to outside of family that was  _ nice _ to me, and  _ wanted _ to be around me. Could I call her a friend? I guess not. But can I call her an improvement in my life? OH BOY YOU KNOW THAT ONE ALREADY, DON’T YOU? Enough with my sarcasm, I  _ should _ be focusing on finding Violet. The sharp aura began to spike as I drew closer. Maybe they’re scared of...me? Maybe they know what really am? Oh Bright Scar I hope not. Pushing through the crowd, I almost ran into someone. It was Violet. She smiled at me, joy lighting up in her eyes. Why’s she so happy to see me? I hurt her.

 

“Silverfire! You actually came to talk to me!” She exclaimed, hugging me at once. Why’s she hugging me? I tried to  _ hurt  _ her. Why should she even be happy to see me? Violet only rolled her eyes in annoyance. What? Why’d she do that? “There’s something I wanted to tell you, Silverfire…please don’t get too angry with me…I would’ve told you then, I really would’ve…” What’s she going on about? Unless- oh. She shouldn’t even need to tell me. She doesn’t sound comfortable about it. Violet backed away from me, her eyes flickering with irritation flaring in them.

 

I sighed, shaking my head. “Violet, you don’t have to say anything about it. I shouldn’t have forced you to say something on the spot like that. I’m really sorry.” Will Violet even accept my apology? She let out an irate groan, slapping her forehead in what I guessed was irritation. “What?”

 

Violet grumbled something underneath her breath. “Stop saying sorry for it. I’m going to tell you anyways, whether you like it or not.” Why’s she so feisty and aggressive all of a sudden? I mean, I think it’s attractive, but… “Okay, don’t kill me for this, okay? You were right. I-I’m…a mind-reader.” WHAT?! Almost immediately Violet let out another groan of exasperation, shaking her head. What is up with her? The last time I checked, she was extremely shy and terrified by everything. “You try spending more than five seconds alone with Holly and Tristan.” Oh dear. That  _ does _ explain why she’s in such a bad mood. And if she answered that, then that means…she really is a mind-reader, isn’t she? Oh Bright Scar, I think I’m going to be sick…

 

A jolt of fear flashed across Violet’s face. “Y-You don’t hate me for my powers, do you?” Do I? I mean, I don’t like the idea of someone being able to read my every thought and be able to tell what I’m thinking…and I have nothing against Violet, but we  _ did _ just meet today. Should I really put all of this trust into her and trust that she won’t try to hurt me with her powers?

 

“I-I don’t  _ hate _ you, Violet. Hate’s a strong word,” I choked out, my eyes starting to tear up. Why am I starting to cry? I’ve never had to cry in front of someone like this before… Violet quizzically tilted her head. Oh, right. She can read my mind. Am I just upset about hurting her? Maybe. “I-I’ve just…never encountered a mind-reader before, and all the things I’ve heard about them is how evil they are…”

 

Violet winced. “D-Do you think I’m evil?” She whispered, a tear running down her cheeks. I should’ve worded that better. Man, am I stupid… “Yes. Very.” She mumbled underneath her breath. Nice to see that she still has that sass.

 

Shaking my head, I sighed. “No, I don’t Violet. I’m just…really scared.” Another sniffle quickly caught my attention. Oh Bright Scar, is she going to start crying again? Wrapping my arms around her with a sigh, I gave her a gentle but firm hug. She pressed her face onto my chest and some of my right arm, sobbing softly. Did I upset her? Violet slightly nodded as my red sweatshirt caught her tears. Damn it… “Violet, I swear I don’t hate you. And I’ll get used to you being able to read my mind at some point, don’t worry.”

 

“Y-You said you were scared of me,” She stuttered, her voice barely audible. But I-! Nope, I’m not going to get her going like that. If I explain to her what I really meant, then maybe she’ll get it. “Get what?” Attempting to pull myself slightly away from her, I gently tried to remove her hands off of my waist. Instead, Violet squeezed harder and began nuzzling my arm, which was kinda similar to how Twyla was nuzzling Tristan’s arm. “No. You and your sweatshirt are warm and I’m not. We’re making a compromise here.”

 

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?” I gently teased, stroking her silky black hair. She huffed and backed away from me, grumbling in frustration. “Changed your mind, have you?” Violet blushed profusely, glaring at the floor. Really, I was only teasing. It’s not like she’d actually  _ want _ to hug me or something like that. Personally? I don’t think I’m that attractive, so why would Violet even bother? Violet was shaking her head, grumbling something underneath her breath. What?

 

“Silverfire, look. I’m going to be very blunt right now, okay? I don’t care if you look good or not. All I care is that you treat me with respect,” sighed Violet, her amber gaze diverted elsewhere. Well,  _ I _ care if I look good or not, even if it’s irrational to do so. Sometimes it’s nice to look good in public. Not like I’ve ever been in public… “I never said- you know what? It is not worth it. Silverfire, I’ve been thinking. I really want to try being friends with you. You’re a really sweet guy from what I can tell, and I enjoy being around you for the most part. C-Could we be friends? O-Or, could we at least try?”

 

My heart seemed to skip a few beats as the silence between us felt like an eternity. Violet  _ wants _ to be my friend? I’ve never had a friend before…what even is a friend though? Almost wanting to smack myself in the face, I sighed internally. I am very, very stupid. How am I supposed to say, “I don’t even know what a ‘friend’ is”? But is it a good thing? From the way Violet worded it, I guess it’s good. Nodding, I smiled.

 

“I-I enjoy being around you too, Violet. Being friends with you sounds nice, but uh…I don’t know what that is…” I murmured, looking down at my feet. Violet chuckled, her eyes lighting up with amusement. What’s so funny? Nothing, if you ask me. Wait, did I say something stupid? “W-What?”

 

Violet smiled at me, her laughter dying down. “It’s alright. A friend is…how do I describe it? A friend is someone you can trust and rely on, and someone who you like being around. Well, that’s my definition, I’ll have to check a dictionary later if I can find one.” Oh.

 

Scratching my hair, I chuckled awkwardly. “In that case, I’d love to be friends with you, Vi-” My response was cut short once I felt someone charge right into me, knocking me over. Shutting my eyes, I let out a grunt as my head hit the hard, stone floor. “Ow!” Attempting to get a glimpse of my attacker, I opened up one eye to see who it was. The person on top of me was a young woman with curly light brown hair and light green eyes- well, that’s what I guessed from the brief moment she had her eyes open. Bat-like wings spouted from her back along with a slim tail on her bottom; both were a brilliant jade-green. W-Wait…isn’t that Twyla? Where’d she come from?! If she’s here, I’m guessing that Tristan must be here as well…or at least close nearby. Despite the buzzing chatter of the crowd, I could hear a voice shout out to us (more like to Twyla). It was Tristan, obviously.

 

“Twyla!” He scolded once he came to a stop, now standing over us. Twyla lifted her head, defiance shimmering in her eyes. “Don’t do that! You could get someone hurt!”

 

Twyla spat at him, sticking out her tongue. “But it’s fun, Tristie!” It might’ve been my imagination, but from the corner of my eyes I swore I saw him flinch. Is he alright? She glanced back at me, her light green eyes seemingly dazed with reluctance. “Oh, alright. Sorry,” she muttered, scampering off my chest. Growling to myself, I stood up, unfurling the new wrinkles in my torn up jeans. “I still don’t see why I needed to get up off of him. He could’ve just pushed me off of him.” She grumbled.

 

I rolled my eyes with a scowl. “Oh really?  _ You _ try getting winded by someone who tackles you, and then fall down head first,” I snapped, straightening the wrinkles in my dark red sweatshirt as well. Violet only sighed, shaking her head. Is she disappointed in me? Twyla stared blankly at me for a moment, and then widened her gaze. “Yeah, doesn’t feel so good, does it?” She only blinked at me before resting her head on Tristan’s shoulder.

 

He sighed. “Do you guys know where Holly is?” Why would Tristan need Holly? Is he actually…interested in her? But why? I mean, she’s not bad looking, but…why?? Especially since she mentioned that she was a princess. Even if she’s lying about that, she could probably be engaged to someone and Tristan wouldn’t be able to be with her anyways, if that’s what he’s thinking of. Glancing back at Violet, I only flickered my sight back to my feet. She gave me a look that appeared to be telling me,  _ I’ll tell you later. _ Only she can tell. After all, she  _ is _ a mind reader. I’ll just wait to see if she’ll tell me at all though.

 

“Holly said that she was going to look for a “close childhood friend” and not to bother or come looking for her at all,” reported Violet, her face beginning to go red. “Holly put extra emphasis when mentioning you, Tristan.” Twyla huffed and rolled her eyes, while Tristan only crossed his arms, irritation peaking through his laid back expression.

 

“I bet she just couldn’t stand Tristan’s awesomeness and she had to leave for a bit because it was too blinding!” boasted Twyla, holding Tristan’s hand. He groaned, slapping his forehead with his other hand. “What? You’re really awesome and cute, how can’t  _ anyone _  but me see that?”

 

Tristan grumbled, “That’s not true, Twyla. I’m just Tristan Gale Leighton, and that’s it. Nothing good or special about me,” He rubbed his hand against his head and closed his eyes, a tear falling down his cheeks and onto the floor. I-Is…he crying? From what it looked like to me, he was trying not to cry. Twyla gave him a squeeze, nuzzling his cheeks. She licked the tears running his cheeks, a sorrowful expression on her face.  _ EW _ . She  _ licked _ him. “Twyla-”

 

“Come on, Tristie! I bet taking a walk will help you feel better!” Twyla interrupted in a squeal, dragging Tristan away with her as she ran off somewhere behind us. Wow. That was…interesting to watch. Turning towards Violet, I could tell she was torn between laughing or pretending she was taking this seriously. There was a tiny smile on her face along with a giant blush, her amber eyes lit up with amusement. Aw, is it wrong to think Violet looks really cute? Cause she really is. Violet immediately looked up at me, the red on her cheeks spreading even more on her face.

 

She chuckled a little bit. “I’m not sure of that, but I’m glad you think so Silverfire. You look quite good yourself if we’re giving each other compliments,” A light, fluffy feeling reeled in my head. D-Do I actually look that good to her? Grinning rather awkwardly, I laughed, scratching my head. “Anyways, Holly…she put a spell on Twyla. That’s why she’s acting so lovesick around Tristan; she thinks she’s madly in love with him or something like that. Twyla was about to kick Tristan’s butt right before…you know. Holly felt pretty guilty about it though, but she didn’t want to take the spell off.” Holly... _ what _ ? Why and how would she even do that to someone?! I don’t think I’ll ever understand Holly…

 

I tilted my head, slightly baffled. “Why wouldn’t Holly want to take the spell off?” Didn’t it make sense to remove the spell once Twyla seemed to calm down? Or to instead not cast it at all and just make sure she didn’t attack him? Although I wouldn’t mind knowing that Tristan got beaten up by Violet’s sister…I don’t know him, so why would I care about him anyways? The only people here I actually care about are Hazel and Stargaze, maybe Violet too now that I think about it… Once again, Violet turned red overhearing my thoughts, a slight sliver of joy shining in her eyes. Quickly regaining her calm composure, she sighed.

 

“That I don’t know. I asked but she snapped that it wasn’t any of my business. So I asked where she was going,” shrugged Violet, her tone uneasily indifferent as she casually mentioned Holly snapping at her as if it was nothing. “And surprise surprise, she snaps at me again. Although she did apologize for it and told me where she was going. She said to see of her -and I quote- incredibly dreamy childhood friend. Holly was blushing a lot too when she said it, so I’m guessing she’s rather fond of them.” 

 

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed someone walking towards us. She had medium length hair that was tied in a small ponytail at the top of her head, and tan skin. She donned a white and red robe with golden highlights, as well as what seemed to be a hand carved green jewel set into her string-like necklace. Over her robe she wore a dark green hoodie, but left the necklace out. Is that Holly? She looks really beautiful in that robe…huh. Never noticed that before. Violet turned around to face her; she most likely heard my thoughts while staring at Holly and noticed. Holly had a wide grin on her face although she was covering it up with her hood, and her dark green eyes were glazed with a moonstruck gleam in them. Yeah, childhood  _ friend _ alright.

 

I piped up to greet her. “Hey, Holly. What’s up?” She seemed to snap out of her small daze for a split second, her face completely red.

 

Rather dreamily, she sighed, “Jayson- I MEAN NOTHING,” Holly suddenly snapped, her gaze longingly fixated to her right. Aw, how cute! She accidentally said the name of her “childhood friend”! Glancing back at us, she sighed. “What’s up with you guys?”

 

“T-Tristan and Twyla came by. The spell’s  _ definitely _ still in effect, considering that Twyla’s new nickname for him is Tristie and that she dragged him away to cheer him up,” mumbled Violet, fiddling with her fingers. Holly’s eyes widened in shock as Violet went into detail about what had happened. She placed her hand over her mouth and took inhaled a deep breath, then exhaled. “What’s wrong?”

 

Holly shook her head and sighed. “I had a very, very wrong thought when you said-”

 

“O-Okay, I think I know what you mean by that!” Violet interrupted her, covering her ears. “But anyways, that’s about it. What should we do now? I don’t want to stay in here for too much longer…it’s too loud…” Poor Violet. I walked up to her, and by holding onto her shoulders I protectively held onto her, not wanting to let go. Her body heat was nice and soothing to the touch; I almost wanted to fall asleep on her shoulder, as I was beginning to get drowsy.

 

Glancing back up at Holly, I suggested, “We could try heading outside. That might be better for Violet’s headache and it’s less crowded out there; I’ve checked. We could give ourselves a tour around and in the building without any nuisances, if you get what I mean.”

 

Violet nodded. “I like that idea. It’d be nice to get out of here for a bit.” Holly shrugged her shoulders, closing her eyes.

 

“Eh. It’s a good idea, and it’s not like I’m coming up with anything good,” muttered Holly, adding in a sigh. Opening her eyes, she grunted, “Well? Come on. Let’s get out of here already.”


End file.
